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Linux/AWR1443BOOST: Using CAN bus on EVM

Tao Wang94
Intellectual 840 points
Part Number: AWR1443BOOST
Other Parts Discussed in Thread: AWR1443

Tool/software: Linux

On test of AWR1443BOOST, we like this sensor. On spec, it says if using CAN bus, at least 6 tiny resistors required to sold on or remove. Don't know why it is like that, as it is kind of hard to do that with a sold iron. I also want to know if I do the changes, will it cause problems with the USB connecting.

We would like to use it in our drone through the CAN bus. Is there CAN operation APIs in ROS driver of mmWave? It seems there is only serial port operation APIs now in the ROS driver.

Best Regards,

Tao Wang

  • 0
    TI__Guru 50240 points
    Hello Tao,

    The hardware modifications should not interfere with your board's USB connectivity provided that they are applied appropriately.

    I've asked our ROS expert to comment on the driver question.


    Cheers,
    Akash
  • 0 in reply to Akash Gondalia
    TI__Mastermind 30405 points
    Hi Tao,

    The TI mmWave ROS Driver supports only serial port interface. CAN support is not included in the mmWave ROS driver.

    Regards
    -Nitin
  • 0 in reply to Nitin Sakhuja
    Intellectual 840 points

    Hello Nitin,

    Thanks for your answer. I notice there is APIs in SDK on operation of CAN bus, isn't there? Do the ROS team of TI have plan to support CAN in the near future, as AWR1443 is oriented for automobile applications which works more with CAN bus? Or is there some guidance on porting the code on working with CAN bus?

    Best Regards,

    Tao Wang

  • 0 in reply to Tao Wang94
    TI__Mastermind 30405 points

    Hi,

    This requires CAN support in both the mmWave SDK Out of Box Demo to send the point cloud data over CAN, and the ROS driver to interface with the mmwave sensor over CAN and receive the point cloud data.

    We are not planning to add CAN support to the ROS driver demo but you can search online if there are existing CAN drivers for ROS. As mentioned, you'll also need to add code to output point cloud data over CAN using the CAN driver available in mmWave SDK. The SDK OOB demos don't have CAN support at this time but you can refer to the following app note to add this functionality:

    Adding CAN Tx and Rx to an Existing mmWave Project

    Thanks

    -Nitin

  • 0 in reply to Nitin Sakhuja
    Intellectual 840 points

    Hello Nitin,

    I kind of confused: the SDK is the code in Cortex R4F, or it is used to read Cortex R4F? If I read the CAN bus on AWR1443BOOST, I read from Cortex R4F or from the Tiva MCU?

    The app note you mentioned is to write driver for Tiva MCU or Cortex R4F?

    Thanks,

    Tao 

  • 0 in reply to Nitin Sakhuja
    Intellectual 840 points
    Hello Nitin,
    For the UART used in the demo ROS code, does it talk to the Tiva MCU on the EVM or talk to Cortex R4F processor on the sensor? When I do flash the EVM, is the image of code for the Tiva MCU or the Cortex R4F processors?
    Best,
    Tao
  • 0 in reply to Tao Wang94
    TI__Mastermind 30405 points

    Hi Tao,

    The SDK Demo (or your own application) runs on the Cortex R4F which is the user programmable core in the IWR sensor chip. The app note I referred to provides guidance on adding code to use the CAN interface (part of the IWR chip) in the application running on the Cortex R4F, which in this context is the mmwave SDK Demo. The CAN interface is directly exposed on the EVM through J3 (the blue 3 wire header with screws).

    The TIVA MCU on the EVM is a blackbox which provides two functions over the EVM USB interface: (1) JTAG emulation and (2) It exposes the mmwave sensor UARTs (contro and data)  over the EVM USB interface. The TIVA MCU is a black box and is meant only for the EVM. CCS updates the TIVA MCU firmware directly into the MCU flash.

    Thanks

    -Nitin

  • 0 in reply to Nitin Sakhuja
    Intellectual 840 points
    Hello Nitin,

    Thanks for your answer. Now I understand why Tiva is called "XDS110" in the picture. So now if want to make CAN bus work, I need to write code (as in the app note) for Cortex R4F as well as code for my master processor. In the app note, it is the driver for CAN-FD, so this app is for xWR1642, as only it has CAN-FD, while xWR1443 has only standard CAN, am I right?

    When you say Tiva MCU exposes UARTs over EVM USB, does that mean when my laptop talks to mmWave through USB, it is through Tiva MCU (which provides FTDI)? As ROS package uses UART, so the UART commands go to Tiva MCU firstly (through USB-UART) and then go to Cortex R4F (also through UART?), is this the case?

    Best Regards,
    Tao Wang
  • 0 in reply to Tao Wang94
    TI__Mastermind 30405 points
    Hi Tao,

    The TIVA XDS110 provides the UART to USB stack so yes, the PC connection to the sensor UART goes through the TIVA MCU. It doesn't need FTDI. I would recommend you to check the TIVA MCU forum if you need more information about UART to USB or XDS110 JTAG functionality.

    Regarding the CAN app note I shared earlier, you're right that it is meant for CAN-FD so it is not applicable to xWR1443 devices which have a CAN interface only. We have taken the action to update the Title of the app note to say CAN-FD to remove this confusion. We are working on a similar app note for adding standard CAN TX and RX to an existing mmWave application, which will be usable for xWR1443 devices as well. This app note will be released in the future.

    Thanks
    -Nitin